Axial roll adjustment means

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for axially adjusting a work roll in a rolling mill. The apparatus includes an annular piston-cylinder assembly surrounding one end of the work roll. The cylinder is fixed relative to the roll chock and the piston, which is hydraulically actuated for reciprocal adjustment in opposite directions parallel to the rotational axis of the work roll, is connected through a thrust bearing assembly to the roll sleeve, the latter being fixed relative to the work roll and being both rotationally journalled in and movable axially relative to the roll chock.

i United States Patent n91 Mercer et a1.

[11] 3,822,081 [451 July 2, 1974 1 AXIAL ROLL ADJUSTMENT MEANS [75] Inventors: Charles S. Mercer, Worcester;

Lewis C. Jennings, Boylston, both of Mass. [73] Assignee: Morgan Construction Company,

Worcester, Mass.

[22] Filed: Mar. 8, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 339,120

[52] U.S. CI. 308/233 [51] Int. Cl. Fl6c 19/00 [58] Field of Search ..308/232, 233, 234, 207 A, 7 308/189 A, 9 [56 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 303,813 8/1884 Cousins .Q... 308/9 2,523,310 9/1950 Kirkpatrick.. 308/9 3,700,293 10/1972 Dray 308/9 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 265,300 7/1912 Germany 308/9 Primary ExaminerCharles .1 Myhre Assistant Examiner-Frank Susko Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Chittick, Thompson & Pfund [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for axially adjusting a work roll in a rolling mill. The apparatus includes an annular piston cylinder assembly surrounding one end of the work roll. The cylinder is fixed relative to the roll chock and the piston, which is hydraulically actuated for reciprocal adjustment in opposite directions parallel to the rotational axis of the work roll, is connected through a thrust bearing assembly to the roll sleeve, the latter being fixed relative to the work roll and being both rotationally journalled in and movable axially relative to the roll chock.

6 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure [III/Ill- 1 AXIAL ROLL ADJUSTMENT MEANS DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION pair are properly aligned with the grooves of the other I roll in the same pair. Thereafter, it may be necessary to make further axial adjustments to one or the other of the rolls in order to compensate for wear. Also, when i both rolls are axially shifted along with the roll housing for the purpose of changing from one set of grooves to another, it may be desirable to make the final fine adjustments by axially adjusting only the rolls.

The axial roll adjustment mechanisms which have heretofore been developed have generally been of the mechanical type, relying primarily on screws, gears, eccentrics, etc. Experience has indicated however, that these prior art mechanisms have a number of short comings associated therewith, not the least of which is their inability to accurately and reliably make axial adjustments on the order of 0.0002 inch, which is now a desirable if not essential requirement in modern high speed mill installations. The prior art adjustment mechanisms are deficient in this respect primarily because of the clearance or play which must of necessity exist between the components of any mechanical system. The resulting backlash" produces inaccuracies in adjustments, a condition which gradually worsens as the mechanisms become worn through prolonged use. Other problems associated with known prior art adjustment mechanisms include their complexity of design, which makes them expensive and difficult to install and maintain, their inability to be operated remotely from a central control station, and the relatively long periods of time required by operating personnel to make adjustments using such mechanisms.

It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to provide an improved axial roll adjustment mechanism which does not suffer from the disadvantagesnoted above, and which is capable of imparting axial adjustments within precise tolerances to a degree heretofore unobtainable with known prior art mechanisms. To this end, the adjustment mechanism of the present invention is hydraulically rather than mechanically actuated. This eliminates interfaces between gears, screw threads, levers, etc., and the resulting backlash which has consistently plagued the mechanically actuated prior art mechanisms. Other objects of the present invention include the provision of a hydrau lically actuated mechanism which can be remotely adjusted from a central control station, and which responds instantaneously, thereby permitting precise axial adjustments to be made to the rolls during the rolling operation. A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an improvedaxial roll adjustment mechanims which is simple in design, witha minimum number of operating components, thereby facilitating both installation and maintenance of the roll bearings into which the adjustment mechanism is incorporated.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawing, wherein the reference numeral 10 generally designates abearing assembly into which is incorporated an axial roll adjustment mechanism embodying the concepts of the present invention. The hearing assembly includes a roll chock 12 which is conventionally adapted to be mounted in a roll housing. The chock is lined with a bushing 14 which provides a bearing surface as at 16 for the roll sleeve 18, the latter being tightly seated on and keyed against rotation relative to the truncated conical neck portion 20 of a work roll 22. The work roll 22 is further provided with cylindrical end extensions 24 and 26 separated by a reduced diameter section forming a wide groove 28.

An annular cylinder 30, which may conveniently comprise as assembly of two mating sections 30a and 30b, surrounds the roll end and is both held together and affixed to the end of chock 12 by means of bolts indicated typically at 32. The cylinder 30 defines a cir cular chamber having an inner wall 34 and oppositely disposed front and rear walls 36 and 38. A circular piston 40 protrudes radially into the cylinder chamber. The thickness of piston 40 is less thanthe distance between the front and rear chamber walls 36 and 38, thereby creating annular spaces 42 and 44 therebetween. I

Piston 40 is further provided with a somewhat cylindrical base 46 which is carried on one end of an intermediate sleeve connector 48. The connector has a groove 50 into which the piston base 46 is seated. The piston base is held against a shoulder 52 at one end of the groove 50 by means of a lock nut 54 which is threaded on the sleeve connector as at 56.

The other end of sleeve connector 48 is slidably re- .ceived as at 59 in the chock l2 and is interiorly notched as at 58 to receive the outer race 60a of a thrust bearing assembly generally indicated at 60. The outer race is held against rotation relative to the sleeve connector 48 by means of a pin 62, and is retained in notch 58 by a keeper ring 64 and bolts 66. The inner bearing race 60b is seated on a lip 68 which extends axially from the end of roll sleeve 18. The inner race is held in place initially against shoulder 67 by means of a snap ring 69.

An exteriorly threaded split ring 70 is seated in the groove 28 on the roll end and is temporarily held together by a coiled spring 72. A nut member 74 is threaded onto the split ring 70 and when tightened, its forward end 76 acts through the inner thrust bearing race 60b to axially seat the roll sleeve 18 on the truncated conical neck portion 20 of the roll 22.

Two passageways 78 and 80 lead inwardly from the exterior of cylinder 30 to the annular chamber containing piston 40. The interior end of the passageway 78 tenninates in an opening 78' in communication with annular space 42, and likewise the interior end of passageway 80 terminates in an opening 80' in communication with annular space 44. The exterior ends of the passageways 78 and 80 are threaded as at 81 for connection to a hydraulic system which can be of conventionally known design.

The invention operates in the following manner:

when axially adjusting the work roll 22 in one direction (for example, to the left as viewed in the drawing), bydraulic fluid is forced through passageway 80 into the annular space 44 on the right side of piston40 while at the same time allowing hydraulic fluid to be expelled from the annular space 42 on the left side of the piston through passageway 78. This will have the effect of pushing the piston to the left, and this movement is transmitted to the work roll 22 through a rightly interlocked assembly which includes the cylinder base 46, sleeve connector 48 thrust bearing assembly 60 and roll sleeve 18. Axial adjustment of the work roll in the opposite direction is accomplished by simply reversing the flow of hydraulic fluid in passageways 78 and 80. After the desired adjustment has been accomplished, the work roll is axially fixed by maintaining a zero flow condition in passageways 78 and 80. A linear transducer 84 is preferably mounted on and extends through the bearing end cap 86 to provide a means of precisely and remotely measuring the axial adjustments being imparted to the work roll.

It will thus be seen that by avoiding the use of conventional screws, levers and other like mechanical adjustment mechanisms, and by instead employing a hydraulically actuated mechanism, several significant advantages are obtained. Most importantly, precise adjustments on the order of 0.0002 inch are made possible by carefully controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid into and out of the cylinder chamber through passageways 78 and 80. The resulting piston movement is transmitted directly to the work roll through a tightly interlocked connecting assembly which avoids or at least substantially minimizes backlash. Adjustments are accomplished rapidly and without the necessity of first having to disconnect and thereafter reconnecting locking devices. The adjustment mechanism of the present invention also permits axial adjustment of the rolls from a remote central control station and while the mill is in operation.

It is our intention to cover all changes and modifications of the embodiment herein chosen for purposes of disclosure which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim:

1. In a rolling mill wherein a work roll issurrounded at one end by a sleeve which is fixed relative to the roll, the said roll sleeve being in turn journalled for rotation in a chock assembly supported by a roll housing, apparatus for axially adjusting the work roll comprising: cylinder means supported by and fixed relative to the chock assembly, said cylinder means defining a chamber containing a piston which is reciprocally movable therein in opposite directions parallel to the rotational axis of the work roll, means for introducing hydraulic fluid into said chamber on one side or the other of said piston while simultaneously withdrawing hydraulic fluid from said chamber on the opposite side of said piston, with the result that the piston is reciprocated within said chamber, and intermediate means including a thrust bearing assembly for connecting said piston to the roll sleeve, said intermediate means being effective to transfer the reciprocal movement of said piston to the roll sleeve and the roll to which the sleeve is fixed, while permitting the roll and sleeve to rotate relative to said piston and cylinder.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cylinder means and the chamber defined thereby surround one end of the work roll, and wherein said piston also surrounds the said one end of the work roll and extends radially into said chamber.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said intermediate means further includes a sleeve member surrounding the said one end of the work roll, one end of said sleeve member being connected to said piston, the other end of said sleeve member being connected to said thrust bearing assembly.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the other end of said sleeve member is slidably received and guided by the chock assembly for reciprocal movement in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the work roll.

5. The apparatus claimed in claim 4 wherein said thrust bearing assembly includes inner and outer rela tively rotatable races, the said outer race being affixed to the said other end of said sleeve member, the said inner race being seated in a groove in the roll sleeve, and retaining means rotatable with the work roll for holding said inner race in said groove.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said retaining means includes a threaded ring supported by and fixed against axial movement relative to the work roll, and a nut member threaded onto said ring to a tightened position at which said nut member contacts said inner race and exerts a retaining force thereon which holds said inner race in said groove. 

1. In a rolling mill wherein a work roll is surrounded at one end by a sleeve which is fixed relative to the roll, the said roll sleeve being in turn journalled for rotation in a chock assembly supported by a roll housing, apparatus for axially adjusting the work roll comprising: cylinder means supported by and fixed relative to the chock assembly, said cylinder means defining a chamber containing a piston which is reciprocally movable therein in opposite directions parallel to the rotational axis of the work roll, means for introducing hydraulic fluid into said chamber on one side or the other of said piston while simultaneously withdrawing hydraulic fluid from said chamber on the opposite side of said piston, with the result that the piston is reciprocated within said chamber, and intermediate means including a thrust bearing assembly for connecting said piston to the roll sleeve, said intermediate means being effective to transfer the reciprocal movement of said piston to the roll sleeve and the roll to which the sleeve is fixed, while permitting the roll and sleeve to rotate relative to said piston and cylinder.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cylinder means and the chamber defined thereby surround one end of the work roll, and wherein said piston also surrounds the said one end of the work roll and extends radially into said chamber.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said intermediate means further includes a sleeve member surrounding the said one end of the work roll, one end of said sleeve member being connected to said piston, the other end of said sleeve member being connected to said thrust bearing assembly.
 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the other end of said sleeve member is slidably received and guided by the chock assembly for reciprocal movement in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the work roll.
 5. The apparatus claimed in claim 4 wherein said thrust bearing assembly includes inner and outer relatively rOtatable races, the said outer race being affixed to the said other end of said sleeve member, the said inner race being seated in a groove in the roll sleeve, and retaining means rotatable with the work roll for holding said inner race in said groove.
 6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said retaining means includes a threaded ring supported by and fixed against axial movement relative to the work roll, and a nut member threaded onto said ring to a tightened position at which said nut member contacts said inner race and exerts a retaining force thereon which holds said inner race in said groove. 